Everyone knows that diverticulitis is extremely painful. You would do anything to avoid these painful and severe outbreaks. Who really wants to deal with bloating, cramps and constipation or having to take painkillers and antibiotics? The most important thing to know is what foods to avoid with diverticulitis.
The irony of this painful condition is that the foods you normally associate with good health are some of the foods you should avoid. Everyone knows that an important part of any healthy diet consists of high-fiber foods. Fiber keeps your digestive system in good working order. Fiber allows for normal, regular, and consistent bowel movements that remove waste our bodies don’t need. Fiber also does many other wonderful things for our system that are beyond the scope of this article.
However, when you suffer from diverticulitis, you should completely avoid high-fiber foods. It is the complete opposite of diverticulosis, which requires eating high-fiber foods. Remember, you are dealing with a serious infection and the way to help start healing this infection is to give your colon and digestive system as much rest as possible. If you start eating high-fiber foods, your digestive system and colon are put to heavy work. This heavy workload will cause you immense pain and continuous suffering and the worst thing is that the infection will not be cured. Leave the fiber, FOR NOW.
After the attack subsides, the cycle continues and you should start eating a diverticulitis diet, which is simply high-fiber foods. Doing this will allow your digestive system to function normally again. You must realize that the most common reason why people suffer from this condition is because of a person’s diet in the first place.
For your benefit, here is a general list of foods to avoid with diverticulitis:
High-fiber foods: beans, lentils, and whole grains
Walnuts
Seeds
Corn and all corn products (including popcorn)
Hot chili peppers and spicy food in general
dried fruit such as grapes
As you have probably noticed, most of these foods are small foods or spicy foods and the reasoning is logical. Small foods have the ability to lodge in the diverticula, which usually develop on the left side of the intestines or commonly referred to as the sigmoid colon. When food gets stuck in the diverticula, they become inflamed and infected, causing severe pain. Naturally, smaller foods have a much better chance of becoming lodged in the diverticula.
Spicy foods only cause irritation due to the natural burning properties these foods possess. We’ve all experienced unpleasant heartburn and, more importantly, that uncomfortable rectal burning during a bowel movement after a night of spicy Thai or Indian food. Eating these types of foods is not a good idea when you suffer from this condition.
Fortunately, it is no longer necessary to suffer from diverticulitis any longer.
At present there are natural remedies that eradicate this painful condition. The best part is that these remedies still allow you to enjoy all the foods you love. There is no longer a need for pain medications or antibiotics. Being free of this condition must be your mission. Finally, let me leave you with this advice, please remember the foods to avoid with diverticulitis, it will save you unnecessary pain.